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Pool is one of the best games around, and yes, the pros even call it a sport. The fact of the matter is that having your own pool table at home is pretty cool and it’s definitely a good way to entertain guests.
With that being said, you might be worried about the cost associated with getting one.
In this article, I’ll help you figure that out. Besides looking at the cost of a pool table itself, we will also look at the equipment you need and so on.
Overview of Costs Associated with Buying a Pool Table
If you are wondering what affects the cost of a pool table, some of the main things you need to consider are what brand the pool table is made by, how large it is, how intricate the design is, and the features it has.
However, don’t forget that besides the table cost itself, you also need to consider the transportation and assembly costs. You also need to think about the fact that you will need balls, cues, a triangle, chalk cubes, racks, and more.
Let’s break this down for you so you know what to expect in terms of the final cost.
Pool Table Cost
This is perhaps the most important section of today’s informational guide for you to pay attention to.
What you need to know here is that depending on exactly what you get, you can expect to spend anywhere from $700 to $3,000 on an average pool table, with very high end, fancy, and high-quality options potentially costing much more.
Right now, let’s take a look at the main factors which are going to affect how much a pool table is going to cost you.
Slate vs. Wood
One of the biggest factors that is going to determine how much a pool table will cost you is what material the pool table’s surface is made of. The two materials which are readily available are slate and MDF, which is a type of compressed wood.
On one hand, MDF is very lightweight and easy to deal with, but it’s not nearly as durable as slate. Slate is way heavier, it’s more durable, and it’s just much higher quality in general. MDF, due to being wood, is susceptible to absorbing moisture and therefore it may warp over time, a problem that slate does not suffer from.
For this reason, you can find a basic MDF table starting at around $400, but depending on other factors, it may cost $800 or more. A slate pool table of the same size will cost two to four times that much, simply because it’s slate.
Quality
The next factor to look out for is the basic quality of the pool table in question, whether slate or MDF. The slate vs. MDF comparison is not the only thing which will affect the quality of the table.
For instance, the felt, that soft material which the table is covered with, can also range in quality, and that’s going to make a difference. When it comes to the felt, you are better off buying a pool table with high-quality felt, as having to replace it is going to be costly.
Moreover, other components of the pool table matter too. Things like the legs, the base boards, the side boards, the pockets, and more. You have to take a close look at all of the components of the pool table to see what the quality is like.
High-end tables do cost a lot more than basic low-end tables, but this does of course affect the longevity as well as the quality of your playing experience.
Even for an MDF table, a basic one might cost you $400 or $500, but when you start getting into fancy features, you can be sure that it will cost a few hundred dollars more.
Size
Yet another important factor that is going to determine how expensive a pool table will be is how large it is. Yes, bigger is usually considered better, especially when it comes to good playing experience, but of course, bigger is also more expensive.
A very small pool table for home use, such as a 3 x 6-foot model, especially if made with MDF, might only cost you a few hundred dollars.
However, an MDF pool table that is a full 10 or 12 feet long can cost upwards of $1,000 (also depending on the quality). Remember that a pool table of this size, if made with slate as opposed to MDF, can cost several thousand dollars.
Style and Design
Something that is also going to make a difference in terms of the price of the pool table is what kind of design it has. In other words, is it a basic pool table with 4 legs and a top, or does it have a cabinet base with storage, some ornate design, or anything else of the sort?
Of course, pool tables that have storage cabinets built in will cost more, and ones that feature artistic and ornate designs will cost more too. How much these extras and aesthetics cost is hard to determine because it can differ greatly from one pool table to another.
Brand Name
Yes, the brand name of the pool table in question will make a difference too. Brands like Brunswick and Olhausen are going to cost a lot more than lesser-known brand names, whereas smaller brand names like Lancaster will come in a bit cheaper.
Once again, what kind of a price difference this is going to make depends solely on the specific brand names in question. However, what you can be sure of is that popular and trusted brand names can sell their pool tables for many times the cost of lesser-known brand name tables.
Pool Table Costs: Some Actual Examples
To give you a better idea of what an average pool table costs, let’s go over some examples right here and now.
- HLC 6ft Green Foldaway Snooker/Pool Table – Fairly basic design, folding legs, MDF, 6 feet long. $369.99
- Lancaster 90 Inch Game Room Billiards Felt Pool Table – Basic design, particleboard frame, MDF tabletop, 7.5 feet long. Under $500.
- Fat Cat Tucson MMXI 7-Foot Billiard Game Table – Fairly ornate and fancy design, MDF frame and tabletop, automatic ball return, 7 feet long. $599.99.
- Barrington Hatherley 100″ Billiard Table – Very ornate and fancy design, carved wood base and legs, slate table top, 8.5 feet long. $1,399.99.
- Barrington Hawthorne 100″ Billiard Table – Extremely ornate and fancy, polished and carved wood legs and base, reinforced wood tabletop, many features & Extras. $2,649.99.
- Playcraft Brazos River 8′ Slate Pool Table – High-quality wood frame and legs, rustic and ornate, slate tabletop, 8 feet long. $3,000+
Pool Table Transportation and Installation Costs
The cost of the pool table itself is not the only thing that you need to consider. Before you start playing, the pool table first has to be moved to your home and assembled.
How much the delivery cost and the assembly/installation cost is will depend on a few things, with most important deciding factors being the weight of the table, the size of it, and which brand you are purchasing from (higher-end brand names usually charge a good amount of money for transportation and delivery).
Here, you can expect to spend anywhere from $250 to $750 for both the delivery and the assembly. A small 6-foot MDF pool table is going to cost much less to get delivered and installed than a large and heavy 10-foot slate pool table. The exact price will depend on the weight and size of the pool table, as well as who you are purchasing it from.
Of course, if you buy a very small pool table, a basic model, you may actually be able to assemble it yourself, something that would of course allow you to save a whole lot of money. However, with that being said, most real pool tables are too large, heavy, and complex for you to assemble on your own.
Pool Equipment Costs: Cues, Balls, Chalks, and More
No, the cost of your brand new pool table still has not reached its limit. Remember, you need pool balls, cues, and other accessories. So, how much will these cost you?
Balls
The pool balls are of course a necessary part of this equation, but they aren’t too pricey. Expect to spend between $40 and $75 for a set of pool balls. That said, there are also much more expensive, high-end sets.
For some inspiration, check my recommendations.
Cues
Lower end pool cues oftentimes come in packs of four, and they usually also cost between $40 and $75. How much they cost will depend on the quality, size, and brand name. That said, there are professional and specialty pool cues which can cost hundreds of dollars.
Chalk
Pool chalk usually comes in packs of 6 or 12. Expect to spend around $10 for a pack of 12.
Racking Triangle
You need a racking triangle to rack up the balls. Expect to spend anywhere between $15 and $150 for a rack depending on the quality you choose.
On the higher end, Delta 13 is a popular one. The slightly different “Magic Rack” is an option worth looking at too.
Table Cover
If you want to keep your table safe while not in use, a cover is recommended. Expect to spend anywhere from $40 to $80 on a decent one.
Cue Rack
To keep your cues in place while not in use, a cue rack is recommended. Expect to spend around $50 on an entry-level pool cue rack
You can see my favorite racks here.
Summary
Ok, so if we add everything up, the cheapest pool table along with the necessary accessories can cost well under $1,000.
However, for a very high-end pool table, along with all of the bells and whistles, expect to spend upwards of $3,000, with some pool tables costing many times that.